Police crackdown on illegal e-bikes and e-scooter behaviour

Police have issued hundreds of fines during a major road policing operation targeting unsafe and non-compliant e-bike use across Melbourne’s CBD and surrounding areas, including Southbank.

Operation Consider, which has relaunched this month, has seen Victoria Police’s State Highway Patrol and Solo Unit join forces with North West Metro’s Bike Patrol to enforce e-bike compliance and road safety.

Police have been patrolling city streets by bicycle, motorcycle and highway patrol vehicle, with a particular focus on food delivery riders using overpowered and illegal e-bikes in the CBD.

State Highway Patrol officers have also been tasked to Southbank, including Moray St and City Rd, targeting areas that have attracted complaints about unsafe riding, including riders using footpaths.

Southbank News observed police stopping riders on Moray St in June, outside Southbank Police Station, as part of the broader enforcement push.

Victoria Police said 275 infringements had been issued during Operation Consider so far in June, including 174 offences involving e-bike riders.

Those included 44 unregistered vehicle offences for overpowered e-bikes, 40 helmet offences, 32 unlicensed driver offences for riders of overpowered e-bikes, 11 offences for failing to obey traffic signals or signs, six defect notices and two disqualified drivers.

Police also issued 101 infringements to other road users, including 20 mobile phone offences, 16 cyclist offences, 12 failing to obey traffic signals or signs offences, 10 unregistered vehicle offences, nine defect notices, five disqualified or unlicensed driving offences, four speeding offences and two seatbelt offences.

Two vehicles were also impounded.

Police conducted 164 preliminary breath tests and four roadside drug tests during the operation, but no drink or drug driving offences were detected.

Under Victorian rules, an overpowered e-bike is considered a motorcycle and is subject to the same road rules as other motorcycles, including licensing and registration.

Riders caught using an overpowered or non-compliant e-bike can face penalties including a $1018 fine for using an unregistered vehicle and a $1018 fine for unlicensed driving.

An electrically power-assisted cycle, or EPAC, can have an auxiliary motor of up to 250 watts, with power assistance cutting out at 25km/h. The rider must pedal to access the power.

A power-assisted bicycle can have one or more auxiliary motors with a power output not exceeding 200 watts and may use a throttle without the rider needing to pedal.

If an e-bike exceeds those limits, travels faster than 25km/h under motor assistance, or the motor is not the secondary source of power, it is considered overpowered.

Road Policing Acting Superintendent Craig McEvoy said the majority of offences detected during the operation had involved unregistered vehicles and unlicensed riders, meaning the e-bikes were overpowered.

“This indicates to police there is a clear lack of understanding, or blatant disregard, for compliance when it comes to e-bikes,” Acting Supt McEvoy said.

He said riders also needed to follow the road rules that apply to cyclists, including wearing helmets and using bike lanes where required.

“Operation Consider isn’t just about enforcement; we will always aim to educate riders and increase awareness around the rules, however we will enforce when necessary, particularly when it puts other road users at risk,” he said.

With school holidays beginning this week, police are also urging parents and children to familiarise themselves with e-bike rules before riding.

“As we’re about to head into the school holidays, we’re asking all riders and also parents of children who ride e-bikes, to ensure they’re familiar with the rules and using a compliant e-bike,” Acting Supt McEvoy said.

Police said e-bike enforcement operations would continue across Melbourne in coming months.